The Rapid Maturation of the TikTok Generation: A growing concern for retail and parenting

By Rebecca Carlin

A recent phenomenon that has flooded TikTok ‘for you’ pages is the actions of so-called ‘Sephora Kids’. This generation of children, notably young girls aged 8-12, have seemingly dominated high street retailers, particularly in America, alike Sephora and Ulta. Both stores have reported a distinct rise in young children causing disruption wherever they go – preteens have been called out for demanding the latest skincare and makeup products, despite many being advised that they are not suitable for their age group. When their demands aren’t met, the preteens subsequently cause havoc. There have been many reports of these children destroying products in stores; whilst borderline bullying retail workers, these young children unnecessarily open packages, and leave a mess in-store, for retail workers to clean up. TikTok has provided teenagers with a platform to decree extravagant Christmas wish lists, containing many extremely popular, and expensive beauty items among other extortionately priced items. Already
popular items have gained more traction on the app; as such, it has become clearer than ever that these materialistic children are growing up far too fast for their own good.

The attitude of these children has been attributed by retail workers to social media
trends and influencer culture. Yet, the people who ultimately can be said to have the biggest impact have had the most to say about the phenomenon. TikTok has been flooded with posts from not only retail staff, but influencers, psychologists,
dermatologists, and numerous others who have all chimed in to give their two cents on the attitudes of preteens towards beauty culture. The hashtag “Sephora kids” itself has generated around 200 million views on the platform, where people have been posting viral videos complaining about the attitudes of these kids who have copied what they have seen from influencers. Following unobtainable trends, forging the attitude that these products are a necessity, or a status symbol. Many employees of such stores have attributed this attitude to the rise of ‘influencer culture’, young children are positioning the slightly older generation as role models, and are subsequently, copying them. The popularity of products from brands alike Drunk Elephant and Charlotte Tilbury has skyrocketed. Products, which are not only expensive, often contain ingredients that could have adverse effects on these young girl’s skin. For example, one of the most popular products that has surfaced is the Drunk Elephant Retinol Cream which many dermatologists and retail workers have warned could have damaging effects on the skin of children, due to the anti-aging retinol content that is aimed at those over 20. Subsequently, products which could have damaging effects on young people’s skin because of overuse or unnecessary application, may harmfully affect their skin’s development.

Despite widespread social media criticisms, this cohort of young children have been nurtured by the rise of social media, in particular TikTok and its influencer culture. Younger children are witnessing influencers gaining popularity from always having the latest high-end products in both skincare and makeup, performing extravagant ‘hauls’ and ‘get ready with me’ videos that would make your wallet weep at total costs of products they are using daily. The high consumption rates of these popular videos among preteens who are probably the most eager of consumers has had drastic effects. Many individuals now believe that they need to actively and rigorously follow the latest trends to keep up with this cycle of popularity. Not only is this challenging, but has clearly had a detrimental effect on the behaviour of young children.

Many people have been quick to blame parents in this situation, highlighting how this is the first generation of so called ‘iPad kids’ being ‘let loose’ in society without the proper socialisation. Instead, children are replicating attitudes and behaviours seen on social media. This is not a new issue, but rather an amplification of wider issues, created by social media. To label this, as many have done, as exclusively a result of poor parenting, negates the reality – the fact that social media has taken over the lives of children. Due to technology’s accessibility, young people’s attitudes, alike those established above, have become customary. Ostensibly, for many young people, there is an expectation that everything will be at their fingertips the same way that technology and social media have been. With unmitigated access to the internet, it’s only a natural consequence that their entire personalities have been built by and into their online presence, which is often, but not always a result of parenting techniques. These children mirror the values that have been pushed by society, especially in the online sphere. The push from society to turn children into mini adults has caused many from this generation to grow up too quick.

Overall, the swift maturation of the TikTok generation, exemplified by this phenomenon of the ‘Sephora kids’ highlights the detrimental impact of social media and influencer culture on young people. The distortion of what is normal regarding beauty standards and attitudes, influenced heavily by online trends, has now manifested into a destructive and disrespectful attitude within retail spaces. It’s clear to see that the concerns over the early maturation of children have begun to manifest. There needs to be a serious shift in the way social media is used by, and presented to children to combat this rapid growth for the younger generation and avoid an irreversible shift.

Edited by Laura Ward